In a campus-wide email sent Wednesday, Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud stunned the SU community by announcing Jim Boeheim will retire in three years and Daryl Gross has stepped down as Director of Athletics.

“Oh my gosh. I’m not even a sports fan and that’s a lot,” said Chantel Carter, a junior public relations major. “Someone who doesn’t even follow Syracuse sports avidly knows the impact Jim Boeheim has on this campus. When I think Syracuse I think Jim Boeheim.”

Many students were disappointed that Syracuse’s four-decade long relationship with Boeheim had to end in this fashion. Some saw Boeheim’s announcement as a foregone conclusion, and students were divided on whether the announcement was a good or bad move.

“I don’t think it’s smart for Jim Boeheim to say that he’s retiring in three years,” said Emrah Salkic, a sophomore health and exercise science major. “He doesn’t know what will happen in three years. What if they win the National Championship? Is he still going to want to retire?”

Though the news about Boeheim shocked many SU students, Gross’ resignation had less of an effect and was a little more expected in the wake of the NCAA report that was released March 6. The report detailed instances of academic violations that occurred while Gross was director.

“Gross, in a way I was thinking that he would resign or be fired amid the allegations,” said Jonathan Olens, a senior broadcast and digital journalism major. “It’s just unfortunate that all of this happened, but it’s right that (Gross) is out, just to start fresh, especially all that happened under his watch.”

With the announcements coming 12 days after the NCAA released its 94-page report detailing the findings of its investigation into the university, some students said they feel Gross is scampering now that the situation has worsened.

“It was a bad decision by the athletic director,” Salkic said. “This is a tough situation and it would be better if he stuck through and tried to fix it instead of running away from the problem.”

One student said that Gross is acknowledging that he can no longer fulfill his duties as director of athletics and is making a conscious switch to help the program move beyond the NCAA violations.

“He’s made a personal choice to put someone else in the head of his position to actually do some good,” said Trevor Kahl, sophomore information management and technology major.

Gross will remain at Syracuse University as a ­vice president and special assistant to the chancellor and adjunct professor in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

“(Gross) is just re-assigned,” said Alexis Howard-Orr, a junior sport management major. “In Sports Law class we talked about this, he’s just re-assigned. He’s not fired. He’s not going anywhere. Definitely Daryl Gross has been a big major part of getting us into the ACC and making sure Syracuse is a nationally recognized brand. We are marketed as New York’s College Team and he did that.”

One student didn’t see the resignation as a choice, but as a must to help Syracuse move past its tarnished reputation.

“I’m not surprised Dr. Gross is stepping down because he is ultimately the figurehead of our athletic department and the misdoings lie on him,” Potolski said. “Ultimately, he didn’t do his job.”

In his last year at Syracuse, Olens said that Gross did good things, but the bad outweighed any positives and that Syracuse needed a new face for a fresh start.

“It’s just unfortunate that all of this happened,” he said.

Published on March 18, 2015 at 1:44 pm

Contact Sam: sjfortie@syr.edu | @Sam4TR